Scrubbing or cleaning machine



Jan. 13, 1942. M. A. BUCKLEY SCRUBBING OR CLEANING MACHINE Filed Jan. 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MN MW Na c m mu M. A. BUCKLEY SCRUBBING OR CLEANING MACHINE Filed Jan. 19, 1940 f g 2 A M M Jam 13, 1 942.

'or cleaning machine. 'cordance with the present invention is adapted Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNIT-ED STATES ATENT v sc'RUBBING on CLEANING MACHINE Milford A. "Buckley, Gleam N. Y., assignor to Carley Heater Company, Inc.,,,0l ean,"N. Y.,'a corporationof New'York Application January 19, 1940, Serial N0. 314,70 7- 3 Claims. (01. 15-77).

The present invention relates :to a scrubbing Whileithe machine in acfortsimultaneously'cleaningboth faces of :rectanigular plates of various forms and constructions,

it 'is nevertheless particularly adapted 'f or removing the paste from pasting :p'lateswhich are used in tanneries in the process :of manufacturing leather. tivelyllarge rectangular 'form, consisting of glass Such plates as ?now in use are of relaand porcelain 'or other material sheets having marginal frames which "may becf various transverse "sectional 'forms.

These ;.plates necessitate-cleaning at intervals an-dthe practice has heretofore been to :remove the paste from these 'plates 'by hand which, of course, required considerable time that might well be employed to=advantage in other work in connection with tanneries.

A primary .objectaof the invention is the provision of a scrubbing-or cleaning machine oom'- prising an enclosed scrubbing chamber having entrance and exit openings at opposite ends thereof for the passage of vertically disposed rectangular plates through the :chamber, to-

gether with opposed 'powerdriven rotary fiber brushes contacting the opposed faces of the plates, and vmeans for spraying water on such faces of 'the plates inadvanc'e .ofthe brushes.

A further object-of the invention is'to'provide a scrubbing and cleaning machine of the above noted character wherein'means are provided for turning the water on and off, which means are operable upon movement of the plates into and out of the scrubbing chamber.

A still further object of the invention is the provisiono'f a scrubbing or cleaning machine of the above noted charactercomprising a glass enclosed scrubbing compartment for confining the water within the compartment-while at the same time providing unobstructed visibility of the operating mechanism within the compartment.

With the aboveobjects in view, together with others "that willbecome apparent in the course of the following disclosure, reference will now be "had to the accompanying drawings forming .part of such disclosure, and wherein:

'Figure 1 is a side elevational -view of the improved machine in accordance with a preferred -.'1=

embodiment of the invention. t

Fig. 2 is vaniend elevation of the machine as observed-from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig 3 is a topplan .view .of the machine. Fig. 4 -is-a horizontal sectional view in a plane gitudinal supports l5 adjacent the top of the frameand which longitudinal supports are interconnected at their ends by transverse supports'lfi. i

The frame is preferably enclosedfrom the base supports 12 to the longitudinal supports l5 by glass plates 11 on-one side-and the opposed .ends

of the frame, .while at -one side or "at thefront 'of-the frame itiis provided with a pair of doors l8'and l'9 hingedlyconnected with the frame at Hand 21. These doors include glassipanelsfand afford ready access to the interior of the scrubbingachamber, as wellas affording visibility of the-operating parts when the doors are closed.

Vertically disposed withinthe chamber/Opravided -by the enclosed "casing are scrubbing brushes 24 which are arranged fintransversely aligned pairs, as l isflmor'e particularly illustrated in Fig 2, with th ,peripheries'of the-opposed brushes of each pairv so spaced as 'to receive "the f plates -to becleaned therebetween with sufficient friction between the brushes and-plates to e'fiect proper cleansing action.

While the machine would properly function with the use of'one paircf the brushes, nevertheless it is much more efllcient when utilizing 'two such pairs as illustrated in the drawings.

Corresponding brushes 24 ofthe opposedpairs of brushes, or in otherwords, those brus'hesdisposed-at each side of .thepa'th of travel of the plates to be cleaned, -are independently driven by a separate motor 25. These motorsZE aresupported'on the longitudinal supports l5 adjacent one end of the frame I 0 andpreferably with their shaft axes intransverse alignment. I v

rllach of the -motors 25.-has associated therewithla reduction gearsetifi and such gear sets impart rotation to the brushes 24 of one pair thereof through vertical shafts?! journaled in bearings .28 vwhich are secured to the frame It, as is clearlyindicated in Fig. 2. These shafts 2T are rigid with the upper ends of the brushes 24, and the lower ends of the brushes include shafts 29 suitably journaled in a base member 30.

The brushes 24 of the other pair thereof are similarly mounted to those already described and include the shafts 21 and 29, as well as the respective bearings 28 and 30.

Any suitable means may be employed for imparting rotation to the last mentioned shafts 21 from the positively driven shafts 21; such means, however, preferably comprise sprocket wheels 3| secured to all of the shafts 21 and a sprocket chain 32 operatively engaged with the sprocket wheels 3| at each side of the vertical path of travel of the platesto be cleaned.

The brushes 24 may be of desired diameter as well as length, and preferably such brushes are made of palmetto fiber and are driven approximately 288 R. P. M. i a

A water pipe line 33 is arranged in vertical disposition in advance of each brush 24 and preferably outwardly of the axis thereof. However, such pipe lines may be disposed closer to the vertical path of travel of the plates than as indicated ,in the drawings. These pipe lines are provided with closely spaced nozzles 34 for effecting sprays of water on the opposite faces of the plates P to be cleaned.

The pipes 33 are preferably closed at the lower ends thereof and are all in communication at the tops thereof with the main water feed line 34 having incorporated therein a valve controlled device 35 for turning the water on and off.

It is highly desirable that the water he turned on only while the plates are being cleaned and that it be shut off immediately after the successive plates have been cleaned, and while this may be effected by various mechanical means operative through movement of the plates through the chamber C, a preferred means for this purpose comprises an electric eye or photoelectric cell 36 adjacent each end of the frame I, and transversely opposite each of these electric eyes is an electric switch control apparatus 31.

The switch control apparatuses are in electric circuit with the valve control device 35, as is clearly indicated in Fig. l for operating such valve control device into the open or closed position, dependent on whether a plate P is entering the chamber or emerging therefrom.

A plate transporting track T extends through the chamber C medially of the opposite sides thereof for supporting and conveying the successive plates P to, through, and from the scrubbing and cleaning chamber C.

The plates P are preferably detachably supported by trolleys 39 having casters '40 engaged with the track T. These plates P may be, by suitable means, mechanically propelled along the track T but preferably they are manually propelled independently of one another and are carried through the chamber C through the action of the scrubbing brushes 24.

While the casing ID, as before stated, is enclosed with glass a vertical opening or slot 4| is provided at each end of the frame, such slots being defined by vertical members 42.

Supported by the longitudinal supports I is a dome for collecting the vapor produced by the hot water used in the cleaning and such vapor is conveyed from the dome 43 through a stack 44.

By the provision of the dome 43 and vapor conveying stack 44 the accumulation of moisture on the glass, which would otherwise obscure visibility, is substantially eliminated.

Having described the preferred mechanical embodiment of the improved scrubbing and cleaning machine, the operation thereof may be summarized as follows:

The plates P supported by the trolleys 39 are successively propelled toward the scrubbing chamber C, and such plates are advanced into the adjacent slot 4| until the leading edges thereof are engaged by the first pair of brushes 24 which are rotated through the drive connections above described, and as each plate enters the slot 4| it activates the photo-electric cell 36, whereupon the water is turned on through the electric switch control apparatus 31 and the valve control device 35.

The plates are thereby thoroughly moistened by the sprays of hot water from the pipe lines 33 in advance of the adjacent brushes 24 and which brushes not only effectively scrub the moistened faces of the plates, but at the same time advance them through the chamber C, and as each plate P emerges from the chamber C it activates the other electric eye 38 whereby by similar apparatus the water to the pipe lines 33 is immediately shut off.

Due to the fact that hot water is employed in the cleaning of the plates, such plates will, in most instances, become sufficiently dry for use in pasting leather thereon during the interval of time from which they leave the machine until being put to use. Nevertheless, the invention includes a plate-wiping means which may be readily attached to the frame should it be found that the plates do not become dry enough for use after leaving the machine.

The wiping means is illustrated only in Figs. 1 and 4 for the reason that it is an optional attachment and may or may not be used, dependent on the temperature of the plates for an efficient drying thereof when passing through and leaving the cleaning machine.

This wiping means, while not being limited to the specific construction illustrated, preferably embodies a pair of brackets detachably securable to each of the opposed upright members H at one end of the frame. A vertical shaft 5| is supported by the pair of brackets 50 common to each of the upright members whereby the shafts are disposed equidistantly from the adjacent opening 4|, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

These shafts 5| adjacent their ends are laterally and non-rotatably movable in elongated slots in the free ends of the brackets 50. Rotatably journaled on the shafts 5| immediately within each of the brackets 50 is a yieldable roller 52, and the shafts 5| are backed by coil springs 53 for yieldably maintaining the rollers 52 in engagement at points longitudinally aligned with the vertical center plane of the openings 4|. The springs 53'are preferably adjustable by means of adjusting screws 54 threaded into the brackets 50 and manipulatable exteriorly thereof.

Secured to each of the shafts 5| is a vertically disposed felt strip 55 whose adjacent edges are normally in contact with and terminate at the peripheries of the rollers 52.

While it is the felt strips which act to wipe the plates P as they leave the cleaning machine, nevertheless it is necessary that such strips be separated for admitting the advancing edges of the plates, and accordingly the rollers 52, rotatable upon the shafts 5|, will upon engagement with the advancing plates move, together with the felt strips, away from each other against the action of the springs 53, which springs will thereafter force the shafts toward each other with the felt strips 55 in wiping engagement with the opposed faces of the plates P.

While, as disclosed, the machine is preferably designed for and adapted to clean paste from pasting plates, nevertheless, it will be obvious that it will find equal adaptation to other forms of rectangular plates even though they may vary somewhat in thickness.

From the foregoing disclosure, it should be readily appreciated that a machine is provided in accordance with this invention whereby plates of the character referred to are thoroughly cleaned with a minimum expenditure of time and labor and that the hot water employed in the cleaning of the plates is wholly confined within the chamber C whereby workmen can attend to their duties without their clothes becoming wet and soiled, as has been experienced in the hand cleaning of these plates as heretofore practiced.

While I have disclosed but a single specific embodiment of the invention, such is to be considered as illustrative only and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined in the subjoined claims. v

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. Plate drying means comprising opposed felt strips, means for yieldably pressing the strips against the opposed faces of advancing plates, and rotary means engageable by the advance edges of the plates for separating the strips for admission of the plates therebetween.

2. A scrubbing machine comprising a casing enclosing a scrubbing chamber, two pairs of vertically disposed brushes rotatably supported within the chamber with one pair thereof in advance of the other pair and with the brushes of each pair spaced apart for movement of the plates therebetween during the scrubbing operation, hot water plate spray means within the casing, a pair of motors supported by the frame adjacent one end thereof and above the brushes of one pair thereof, driving connections between the motors and the respective brushes of said one pair thereof for rotating same, means for conveying vapor vexteriorly from within the chamber including a dome supported by the casing adjacent the other end thereof and above the other pair of brushes, and drive means operative by said driving connections and extending beneath said dome for rotating the other pair of brushes.

3. A scrubbing and cleaning machine comprising an enclosed chamber defined by transparent side and end walls, longitudinally aligned slots in the end walls, a trolley supporting track extending through the chamber and slots in the end walls for conveying plates through the chamber, a vertically disposed brush rotatably supported within the chamber at each side of the track, a spray pipe in advance of each brush, means for establishing and restricting flow of water through the pipes, and means for conveying vapor away from within the chamber.

MILFORD A. BUCKLEY. 

